NEW DELHI: India believes in peace and dialogue, but it does not “compromise” when it comes to the sovereignty and security of the nation, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Friday, in an indirect message to Pakistan and China.
In an address at an event, he also said that India has become a voice of balance and responsibility in the current global environment and that nations in the Indo-Pacific and Global South view New Delhi as a reliable partner.
Singh emphasised that the geopolitical uncertainty and challenges such as terrorism, cross-border support to extremist elements, attempts to alter the status quo, maritime pressures, and even information warfare require constant vigilance and that reforms in the military are becoming a strategic necessity rather than a choice.
“India’s economic growth, technological capabilities and principled foreign policy have made it a voice of balance and responsibility in the changing global environment, with countries across the Indo-Pacific and the Global South viewing us as a reliable partner,” he said at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue.
Singh asserted that India is shaping global discussions with a sense of responsibility, strategic autonomy and confidence rooted in civilisational values.
“India believes in peace and dialogue, but when it comes to the sovereignty and security of the people, we do not compromise,” he said.
India has earned global trust due to the path-breaking reforms, and its consistent stand for respect of sovereignty of nations and rules-based order, he said.
“We are strengthening border and maritime infrastructure to support security and connectivity. We are modernising our forces through new platforms, technologies, and structures,” he said.
“We are reforming procurement processes to ensure speed, transparency and accountability. Through Aatmanirbharta, we are building a defence industrial ecosystem that encourages innovation, supports industry, and reduces external dependencies,” he said.
Singh said India is investing in start-ups, “deep-tech” capabilities, and research and development that will shape the battlefields of the future.
Advocating that resilience is as important as capability, Singh stated that a resilient India can absorb shocks, adapt quickly, and continue moving forward irrespective of the circumstances.
He described the armed forces as the strongest pillar of the nation’s resilience, stressing that their capability, readiness, restraint and firmness is a driving force that allows India to deal with its neighbourhood challenges while contributing to regional stability.
Singh noted that the contribution of the armed forces goes far beyond defending the borders.
“Our armed forces bring stability where it is needed most. They support civil authorities in times of disaster. They safeguard our maritime interests. They strengthen our international partnerships through joint exercises and peacekeeping,” he said.
“Their professionalism builds confidence — not only within India, but also among our friends around the world. That’s why reform and modernisation in the armed forces are not just administrative tasks; they are investments in India’s long-term future,” he said.
Singh also launched a number of digitalisation and green initiatives that included Project Ekam which is a strategic initiative to develop indigenous Artificial Intelligence (Al) solutions for the armed forces.
The main highlight of this project lies in its ability to provide complete control over data security, tailored solutions to military terminology, operational doctrines and specific data sets, the defence ministry said.
The minister also unveiled ‘Prakshepan’ — a a cutting edge military climatology application for Indian Army.
It has three prediction modules namely landslide prediction, flood prediction and avalanche prediction, the defence ministry said.
The defence minister also released an AI handbook for military leaders.
It is a direct response to the imperative to equip military leaders from tactical to strategic levels with the foundational knowledge necessary to navigate this new era, the ministry said in a statement.
The handbook is designed specifically for military leaders who are decision-makers, providing them with a cognitive map to leverage Al’s potential in command, control, coordination, communication, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, it added.
